Red currantis a valued ornamental shrub, blooming very nicely in mid-spring. It is the most commonly cultivated type of ornamental currant with relatively low requirements. See whatcultivating red currant looks like , see whichvarieties of red currantwill be suitable for your garden, and learn how to make yourself reproduction of red currantto get cuttings e.g. for a currant hedge.
Red currant, corner flowering variety
Fig. Patrice78500, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
Red currant(Ribes sanguineum) is a seasonal shrub that sheds leaves for the winter. It has stiff, erect shoots, densely arranged. The habit of the entire shrub is usually slightly rounded and quite spread. Uncut plants reach up to 2 m in height and 1.5 m in width. Lobed leaves, dark green, slightly mossy, giving off a distinct smell.Blood currant flowersare dark pink or blood red, gathered in dangling inflorescences, appear at the turn of April and May. In autumn, small, dark blueredcurrant fruitsare food for birds. For humans, they are not useful for food because they are unpalatable.
Red currant - cultivation
Red currant , due to its decorative qualities during flowering, can be planted singly as a solitaire. Also suitable for a hedge. Then it can be combined in a row with shrubs with a similar flowering date, such asIntermediate forsythia and Lamarck beetle.
Cultivation of red currantcauses no problems, as long as we provide the plant in a sunny position (it blooms best in the sun) and warm, sheltered from frosty winds in winter (the plant is not fully frost-resistant, mainly the buds may freeze) flowers).The positionsabout south or south-west exposure are the most favorable for cultivating red currant. This currant requires fertile, well-drained and moderately moist soil. Tolerates soil pH 5.5-7.5.
Red currant, King Edward VII variety
Fig. Wouter Hagens, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
Due to the sensitivity to low temperaturesthe planting of redcurrant is best done in the springBefore planting the bushes, it is worth enriching the soil with compost or composted manure. Plants should be protected from drought by regular irrigation.This is especially important for newly planted plants. They need to be watered well until they take on their new position.
Good to knowAfter planting, all red currant shoots should be cut low, above the 2nd or 3rd bud above the ground. As a result, the plants will branch out strongly and will produce strong skeletal shoots, on which the first flowers will develop in the next season.
For abundant flowering, it is also recommendedfertilizing red currantwith multi-component fertilizer in the period from April to the end of July.
A veryimportant procedure in the cultivation of red currantis pruning. Since the currant blooms from the flower buds formed in the previous year,cutting of the red currantis performed in May, right after flowering. On this date, we make a corrective cut to keep the nice shape of the currant bush.
As the currant blooms poorly on older shoots (3 years old and older), it is also recommendedto cut the old shoots close to the ground . This treatment stimulates the production of new shoots, which will bloom profusely in the next year, but weakens fruiting.
From spring it is worth spraying blood currantpreventively with onion and garlic preparations , because aphids spread on these shrubs en masse. These pests mainly affect the tops of shoots, causing development disorders, deformation of currant leaves and sticking them with honey dew - a sticky discharge produced by aphids. After noticing the pests, you can spray potash with garlic-scented potash or the natural Agrocover preparation. As a last resort, chemical aphidicides such as Decis Ogród or Karate Gold are used. You can also fight with these agentscaterpillars gnawing currant leaves
Red currant fruits
Fig. Wouter Hagens, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
Red currant - varieties
Polish nurseries offer only a fewvarieties of red currant , the most popular of which are:
Blood currant 'Atrorubens'- variety with dark red flowers, grows similar to the species
Red currant 'Brianjou'- variety with pink-red flowers and slightly better frost resistance
Blood currant 'King Edward VII'- variety with dark red flowers and slow growth, slightly shorter than the species (height up to 1.2 m) and more spread out, recommended for small home gardens
Red currant 'Pulborught Scarlet'- variety with dark red flowers with white centers, grows up to 2.5 times the height
Red currant 'Tydemans White'- white blooming variety
Red currant - reproduction
In amateur conditionsthe reproduction of red currantis carried out by woody cuttings harvested in autumn. It is best to cut the shoots for cuttings in November. They should be 15-18 cm long. They are tied in bundles and stored until spring in a cold cellar. During this period, they should develop a callus (scarring of the cut wound) and root buds.In spring, red currant seedlings can be planted in pots filled with a mixture of compost soil with peat or peat substrate (1: 1 mix).
To obtain bushes grafted on a trunk, in the form of miniature trees, grafting on golden currant (Ribes aurerum) is performed. However, it is better to leave this procedure in the hands of professional growers and buy a ready-made stem plant from the nursery.
